Texas 'affluenza' teen's mom released from jail
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The mother of a fugitive teenager known for using an "affluenza" defense in a fatal drunken-driving wreck was released from a Texas jail on Tuesday, a day after a judge sharply reduced her $1 million bond for allegedly helping her son flee to Mexico.
Tonya Couch was released from the Tarrant County jail in Fort Worth shortly before 9 a.m. She must wear an electronic ankle monitor and remain at the home of another son, 29-year-old Steven McWilliams, except for appointments with her doctor and lawyer.
Authorities believe she and her 18-year-old son, Ethan Couch, fled the state in November as Texas prosecutors investigated whether he had violated his probation in the 2013 wreck that killed four people.
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Both were taken into custody last month in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, after a call for pizza delivery tipped off authorities to their whereabouts.
Tonya Couch is charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Ethan Couch is still being held in Mexico as he fights deportation.
During Ethan Couch's trial, a defense witness said the teen was coddled into a sense of irresponsibility by his wealthy parents, a condition the expert called "affluenza." The condition is not recognized as a medical diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association, and its invocation drew widespread ridicule.
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A judge on Monday lowered the mother's bond from $1 million to $75,000. In a tweet late Monday night, Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson said Tonya Couch had posted the bond and was expected to be released Tuesday morning after being fitted with a GPS monitor.